Folding bed.



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F 0 L D N G B E D.

(App'lieacion med Jan. 1s, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

Illlllllllllllllllm nds Ncnqls Firms Primo-uma. wAsnmu'oM. D. l;

- Pa'fnted Nov. 2|, |899. G. w. sANon. FoLuma aan.

(H0 Model.)

(Application Bled Jan..1'8 1899.;

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 637,670. Patented Nov. 2|, |899.

G. W. SANOR.

FoLnmG Ben. y

` (Application Blad 3mi. 1B, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

w: uunms Pzrsns co.. PHuTo'LlTMo., WASHINGTON. u c.

l"Nrr'n'n STATES f PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE W. SANOR, OF PACIFIC, ll/HSSOR.A

FOLDING BED.

srncrrrca'rroiv forming para of Letters Patent No. 637,670, datedNovember 21, 18991 i Application tiled January 18, 1899. Serial No.702,559. (No model.)

To ctZZ w/tom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE W. SANoR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pacic, in the county of Franklin and State of Missouri, haveinvented a new and useful Folding Bed, of which the followingisaspeciication.

My invention relates to folding beds, and has for its object to'providea springless device of this class wherein the bed-frame is approximatelycounterbalanced to facilitateA the extension and folding thereof, andalso to provide in connection with the bed adresser, of which the mirrorand frame form the front of the stationary or receiving case and alsoconstitute a counterbalancing element..

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in thefollowing description, and the no-vel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a combined foldingbed and dresser constructed in accordance with my invention, the samebeing shown folded or closed. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view ofthe'same. Fig. 3 isa perspective view of the device in its open oroperative position. tral vertical section thereof as shown in Fig.

3 and indicating in dotted lines the positionsV of the parts in thefirst step of closing the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional Viewof the clutch or holding device for locking the hinged headboard in itsdepressed position.

Similar reference characters indicate corre` sponding parts in all thegures ofthe drawings.

The device embodying my present invention consists of an improvementupon the construction shown and described in a former patent, No.553,968, granted to nie-on February 4, 1896; and, as in said formerpatent, the device consists, essentially, of a stationary or receivingcase l, a movable or dresser case 2, and a bed-frame 3, supportedbetween and terminally connected with said stationary and movable casesand adapted for either upright or horizontal position, according to therelative positions of the cases. To facilitate the movement of the case2 toward and from the stationary case and at the same time afford astable support for the foot end of the Fig. 4 is a Cell-` sistance andWithout the risk of causing in-` jury thereto. The movable or dressercase may be provided with suitable receptacles, such as drawers,cupboards, duc.

When the stationary and movable cases are in their closed relativepositions, the lower portion of the front of the stationary case isclosed by the movable case, and arranged to close the upper portion ofthe front of the stationary case is a movable front section 7,consisting in the construction illustrated of a mirror and frame, whichmay be made of any suitable ornamental configuration, and this movablefront section is provided near its upper end with vertical slides 8,consisting of stirrups engaged with a guide-rod 9, connecting the sidewalls of the stationary or receiving case. These slide-stirrups allowboth vertical sliding and swinging movement of the front section duringthe operation of the apparatus. Also mounted within and upon. the sidewalls of the stationary or receiving case are intermediately-fulcrumedlevers 10, of which the front arms'are preferably connected by links llwith the movable front or mirror section, near its lower edge, and ofwhich the rear arms are ieXibly connected with the head-end of thebed-frame by means of stirrups or cords l2. Inasmuch as the strain uponthe links 11 is always tensile it will be understood that other swingingor flexible means of connection may be employed between the lower edgeof the front or mirror section and the front arms of the balanced leverslO, the relative lengths of the arms of said levers being such that theweights of the front or mirror section and the head end of the bedapproximately counterbalance each other. Furthermore, it will be seenthat by reason of the attachment of said frontwall section and the headend of the bedframe to opposite ends of the levers lO one of saidelements is elevated when the other is depressed, whereby when the headend of the bed is elevated to approach a folded position the front-wallsection is allowed to descend to meet the top of the movable or dressercase, and while the head end of the bed is being lowered or depressed toan operative position in extending or opening the bed the front-- wallsection is elevated and swung forward at its lower edge, and when thebed reaches a fully-open position said front section swings back to avertical position, but still remains elevated to space its lower edgesufficiently above the plane of the bed-frame to allow access to allportions of the surface of the bed.

Connecting the bed-frame with the stationary or receiving case are armsor links 13, hinged or otherwise pivotally mounted at their rear ends tothe back of the case near its lower edge and similarly mounted at theirfront ends to the bed-frame approximately at the Ycenterof its length,and also connecting Athe bed-frame with the movable or dresser case arearms r links 14, pivotally' mounted 1 at their front ends to the innersides of the walls 4 of said movable frame extension and at their rearends to the sides of the bed-frame at a distance of approximatelyone-third of the length of said frame from the foot end. Said llinks 13and 14 are hereinafter referred to as head and foot or rear and frontconnecting-links. Also guiding-links 15 connect the bed-frame, near itsfoo-t end, with vfrom theconnecting-links 13 and 14. The

front or foot connecting-links 14 bear at intermediate points upon rests16, formed by the upper edge of the cross-bar 5, or, preferably, asshown in the drawings, by plates 16, secured to said cross-bar, andthese rests are'so arranged in centra-l vrelation with the pivote'dfront end of the connecting-links that the latter are inclined rearwardand upward toward their pointsof attachment to the bed-frame whenthelatter is in its horizontal or normal position. links 13 inclineforward and upward toward their points of attachment to the bed-frame.The function of the guiding-links 15 is to hold the foot end of the bedout of contact with the back of the movable or dresser case during thedepression of said foot end of the frame in the first portion of themovement of closing or folding the bed and while the bedframe is tilted`upon the pivot 17, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4.

Mounted upon the head-rest of the bed-` frame Yis a folding headboard18, preferably of sectional construction, with an intermediatehinge-joint whereby the sections of the same may be folded to occupyparallel con- I y tiguous-planes when arranged in an upright position atthe headend of the bed-frame to, perform the ordinary function ofpreventing thepillows from becoming displaced rear-l fwardly. Thisfolding headboard, however,4

Vfolding and extending the bed-frame.

Also the rear or head connecting-i case accidentally.

is adapted ,to be extended forward over the bed-frame to hold thebedding in the proper position during the folding of the device, and tomaintain the frame in this holding position I employ catches 19,consisting of notched or serrated stems, fitted in sockets 20, havingdetents to engage the notches or serrations, the stems of said catchesbeing extended lat- `erally to form bearing-arms 2l, which engage theupper or outer surface of the headboard.

I preferably construct this headboard to form an open frame havingparallel side bars 18a, which extend parallel with the sides of thebed-frame and `are connected by cross-wires or any suitable filling, asshown at 22. This headboard, however, performs another function inconnection with the apparatus described than that of maintaining thebedding .in position, and it performs said further function by reason ofthe necessity of inclining the front-wall section of the stationary orreceivingcase for swinging the lower edge of said section forward duringthe operations of The front-wall section is provided at its lower edgewith guide rollers or travelers 23, which are adapted to traverse theparallel side bars 18a of the headboard during the said operations,whereby the resistance necessary to be overcome in folding or extendingthe bed is reduced to the minimum. 'Y

vIn connection with the foot end of the bedframe l employ a lockingdevice for preventing the depression thereof when the parts are in theirnormal positions, and in the construction illustrated said lockingdevice .consists of loc-ks which may be used in this relation to insurethe desired relative positionsof the foot 'end of the bed-frame and themovable 'or dresser case when the apparatus is in its normal orloperative position. Also suitable catches, such as a hook 26 and eye 27may be employed for securing the movable or dresser `case in its closedposition with relation to the stationary or receiving case.

With the members of the apparatus in the 'closed positions indicated inFigs. 1 and 2 `the only operation necessary to open the bed afterthe'movable ordresser case has been disengaged from the stationary orreceiving `case is to apply a slight forward vimpulse to IOO IIO

the movable case ito `draw the foot end of the bed-frame forward untilthe head connecting-links 13 are inclined'forward. When the "device'isfolded, these connecting-linksoc- 'cupy vertical positions parallel withthe bedframe, and as the weight of the bed-frame is 'carried in a greatmeasure by these links 13 it will be seen that there is no tendency forsuch weight to advance the movable or dresser When the movable ordresser 'case has been advanced, however, aAA suiicie'nt distance toincline the ,links 13, the weight ofthe bed-frame will then tend to ad.-

Vvance the movable case; but such tendency will be resisted to a certainextent by the rearward pressure of the lower edge of the movablefront-wall section. When, however, the parts reach the dotted positionindicated in Fig. 4, to throw the Weight of the head end of thebed-frame upon the rear arms of the balanced levers 10 the downwardmovement ot' said head end of the bed-frame will be counterbalanced bythe weight of the front-wall section, after which the completion of theextension of the bed may be accomplished with but slight exertion uponthe part of the operator and without the risk Vof jar when the partsreach their extended positions.

Attached to thelower free edge ofthe frontwall section is a cord or tape28 of sufficient length to extend to a point within reach of an operatorstanding in front of the movable or dresser case, and when it is desiredto fold the bed (the foot end thereof having been disengaged from thelocking device employed for connecting the same to the movable case andthe headboard having been secured in position to hold the bedding) thefree end of the tape is grasped and drawn forward to swing the loweredge of the frontwall section away from the stationary or receivingcase. This movement of the frontwall section is imparted to the levers10 to move the latter from their former vertical position to aforwardlyinclined position, whereupon a slight rearward pressure againstthe movable or dresser case will cause the elevation of the head end ofthe bed-frame and the corresponding depression of the frontwall sectionto the relative position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. From thispoint the completion of the folding operation may be accomplished byrearward pressure upon the movable or dresser case, and owing to theapproximately balanced relation of the parts but slight effort isnecessary upon the part of the operator, and should this pressure berelaxed or uninterrupted the only result will be the comparatively slowreturn of the parts to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4,where the bed-frame is balanced by the front-wall section.

From the above description it will be seen that I have entirely avoidedthe use of springs in the construction of my improved folding bed andhave also avoided the use of independent weights or othercounterbalancing means which do not form essential features of theapparatus. The front-wall section, which in the construction illustratedconstitutes the mirror of the dressing-case,perforrns the function of acounterbalance for the bedframe,and as the movement of this front-wallsection must be accomplished under any circumstances in order to move itsufficiently from the plane of the bed-frame to avoid inconveniencingthe occupant of the bed, and as the elevation of this wall-section mustbe accomplished during the depression of the bed-frame, and vice versa,I have utilized the weight of the front-wall section to counterbalancethat of the bed-frame, whereby a single set of devices not complicatedby auxiliary means are sufficient to ins'ure the desired relativedisposition of the parts without necessitating undue effort by theoperator.

Various changes in the form,"proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim isl. In a folding bed, thecombination of a stationary case having a movable wall-section, amovable case adjustable relatively to the stationary case, a bed-frameconnecting said cases, and connections between the bed-frame and saidwall-section for causingsimultaneous movement thereof, substantially asspecied.

2. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case having avertically-movable member, a movable case, a bed-frame connecting saidcases, and connections between said bed-frame and movable member,forcommunicating motion from one to the other, substantially asspecified.

3. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case having avertically-movable member, a movable case, a bed-frame connecting saidcases, and connections between the bed frame and said movable member,whereby the latter counterbalances the head end of the former,substantially as specified.

4. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case, having avertically-movable front-wall section, a movable case, a bedframeconnecting said cases, and connections between the front-Wall sectionand the head end of the bed, whereby the latter is counterbalanced bytheformer,substantially as specied. v

5. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary or receiving casehaving a vertically-movable front-wall section consisting of a mirrorand frame, a movable or dresser case adjustable toward and from thestationary case, a bed-frame connecting said cases, and connectionsbetween the front-wall section ,and the head end of the bed, whereby thelatter is counterbalanced by the former, snbstantially as specified.

6. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case having avertically-movable front-wall section, a movable case, 4a bedframeconnecting said cases and vertically movable at its head end, andconnections between the head end of the bed-frame and said front-wallsection, whereby motion in opposite directions is communicated from oneto the other, substantially as specified.

7. Ina folding bed, the combination of a stationary case having avertically-movable front-wall section, a movable case adjustable towardand from the stationary case, a bedframe connecting the cases, andconnections,

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including a balanced lever, between-the head end of the bed-frame andsaid front-wall section, substantially as specified.

8. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case having avertically-movable front-wall section, a movable case adjustable towardand from the stationary case, a' bedframe connecting said cases, abalanced lever mounted upon the stationary case, and flexibleconnections between the arms of said lever and the front-wall sectionand head end j section, a movable case, a bed-frame connecting saidcases and adapted to fold within the stationary case, travelers carriedby the frontwall section, a headboard carried by the bedframe and hingedfor forward extension to lie approximately parallel with the bed-frame,

and adapted to be traversed by saidtravelers,

and catches to hold the headboard in its extendedposition, substantiallyas specified.

1l. In a folding bed, the combination of a j stationary case having amovable front-wall stationary case having a movable front-wall section,a movable case, a bed-frame connecting said cases and adapted to foldwithin thev stationarytcase, travelers carried by the frontwall'section,and a folding headboard mounted upon the bed-frame for extensionapproximately parallel therewith to be traversed by Said travelers, saidheadboard comprising.

foldably-connected sections, substantially as specified.

12. In a folding bed, the combination of a j stationary case having amovable front-wall section, a movable case, a bed-frame connecting saidcases and adapted to fold within the stationary case, travelers carriedby the frontwall section, a folding headboard carried by i thebled-frame for extension approximately parallel with the bed-frame to betraversed by said travelers, and means for securing the headboard in itsforwardlyextended position, substantially as specified.

13. In a folding bed, the combination of a section, a movable case, abed-frame connecting said cases and adapted to fold within thestationary case, travelers carried by the front- Awall section, afolding headboard carried by v the bed-frame for extension approximatelyparallel with thel bed-frame to be traversed by said travelers, andmeans consisting of catches mounted upon the bed-frame, for securing theheadboard in its extended position, substantially as specified.

14'. In a folding bed, the combination of vaA stationary case having amovable front-wall section, a movable case, abcd-frame connecting saidcases and adapted to fold within the stationary case, travelers carriedby the frontwall section, a folding headboard carried by the bed-framefor extension approximately parallel with the bed-frame to be traversedby said travelers, and locking devices for securing the headboard in itsextended position, the same consisting of catches having serratedshanks, and sockets, to receive said shanks, provided with detents toengage the serrations thereof, substantially as specified.

15. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case having amovable front-wall section, a movable case, a bed-frame connecting saidcases and adapted to fold Within the stationary case, travelers carriedby the frontwall section, a folding headboard carried by the bed-framefor extension approximately parallel with the bed-frame to be traversedby said travelers, and locking devices for securing the headboard in itsextended position, the same consisting of serrated shanks havinglaterally-extended arms to overlap the headboard, and sockets, toreceive the shanks, provided with detents to engage the serrations -oftheshanks, substantially as specified.

16. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case having afront-Wall section mounted for verticaland swinging movement,

a movable case adjustable toward and from the stationary case, abed-frame connecting said cases and adapted to fold within thestationary case, levers fulcrumed at intermediate points upon thestationary case, flexible connections between the front ends of saidlevers and the front-wall section, and other iiexible connectionsbetweenthe rear ends of said levers and the head end of the bed-frame,

,substantially as specified.

17. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case having afront-Wall section mounted for vertical and swinging movement, saidsection having a slide-stirrup, and the stationary case having aguide-rod engaging said stirrup, a movable case adjustable toward andfrom the stationary case, a bedframe connecting said cases and adaptedto fold within the stationary case, and a balanced lever mounted` in thestationary case and having its arms connected respectively with thefront-Wall section and the head end of the bed-frame, substantially asspecified.

18. lIn a folding bed, the combination of a rstationary case, a movablecase adjustable 4toward and from the stationary case, a bedframe adaptedto fold within the stationary case, connecting-links hingedly mounted atvtheir extremities respectively upon the stationary case and thebed-frame at fixed points, and connections between the foot end of thebed-frame and said movable case, substantially as specified.

19. In afolding bed, the combination of a stationary case, a movablecase adjustable toward and from the stationary case, a bed- IOO IIO

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frame adapted to fold within the stationary case, counterbalancingdevices connected with the head end of the bed-frame, connecting-linkshingedly mounted at their extremities respectively upon the stationarycase and the bed-frame at fixed points,and connections between the footend of the bed-frame and said movable case, substantially as specified.

20. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case, a movablecase adjustable toward and from the stationary case, a bedframe adaptedto fold within the stationary case,rear connecting-links hingedlymounted at their rear ends upon the stationary Vcase and at their frontends upon the bed-frame at fixed points approximately at the center ofthe length thereof, and swinging connections between the foot end ofthe-bed-frame and the movable case,substantially as speci- .iied.

21. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case, a movablecase adjustable toward and from the stationary case, a bedframe adaptedto fold Within the stationary case,rear connecting-lin ks hingedlymounted at their rear ends upon the stationary case and at their frontends upon the bed-frame at fixed points approximately at the center ofthe length thereof, front connecting-links pivotally mounted at theirrear ends upon the bed-frame at fixed intermediate points, and pivotallymounted at their front ends upon the movable case, and means forlimiting the rearward-swinging movement of the upper ends of said frontconnecting-links, substantially as specified.

22. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case, a movablecase adjustable toward and from the stationary case, a bedframe adaptedto fold within the stationary case,rear connecting-links hingedlymounted at their rear ends upon the stationary case and at their frontends upon the bed-frame at fixed points approximately at the center ofthe length thereof, front connecting-links pivotally connected at theirlower extremities to the movable case and at their upper extremities tofixed intermediate points of the bed-frame in rear of the foot endthereof, and stops arranged in the path of the rearwardswinging movementof said front connectinglinks, substantially as specified.

23. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case, a movablecase adjustable toward and from the stationary case, a bedframe adaptedto fold Within the stationary case,rear connecting-links hin gedlymounted at their rear ends upon the stationary case and at their frontends upon the bed-frame at fixed points approximately at the center ofthe length thereof,front connecting-links connecting the bed-frame atfixed intermediate points with the movable case, stops arranged in thepaths of the rearward-swinging movement of said front connecting-links,and guiding devices for the foot end of the bed-frame, substantially asspecified.

24. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case, a movablecase adjustable toward and from the stationary case, a bedframe adaptedto fold within the stationary case, rear connecting-links hingedlymounted at their rear ends upon the stationary case and at their frontends upon the bed-frame at fixed points approximately at the center ofthe length thereof, front connecting-links pivotally connected at theirlower extremities to the movable case and at their upper extremities tofixed intermediate points of the bedframe in rear of the foot endthereof, and guiding-links also connecting the bed-frame with themovable case, substantially as specified.

25. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case, a movablecase adjustable toward and from the stationary case, a bedframe adaptedto fold within the stationary case, rear connecting-links hingedlymounted at their rear ends upon the stationary case and at their frontends upon the bed-frame at fixed points approximately at the center ofthe lengththereof, front connecting-links pivotally connected at theirlower extremities to the movable case and at their upper extremities tofixed intermediate points of the bedframe in rear of the foot endthereof, and guiding-links pivotally connected at their front ends tothe movable case and at their rear ends to the bed-frame in front of thepivotal points of the rear ends of said front connecting-links,substantially as specified.

26. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case, a movablecase adjustable toward and from the stationary case, a bedframe adaptedto fold into the stationary case, rear connecting-links connecting thestationary case with xed intermediate points ofthe bed-frame, andconnections between the bedframe and the movable case whereby the footend of the bed-frame is depressible, and locking devices for the footend of the bed, including a latch and an engaging button, for supportingthe foot end of the bed in its elevated position, substantially asspecified.

27. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case, a movablecase adjustable toward and from the stationary case, a bedframe adaptedto fold within the stationary case, connections between the bed-frameand the movable case, the bed-frame being fulcrumed upon saidconnections for tilting movement to depress the foot end thereof, linksconnecting the stationary case with the bed-frame at points in rear ofthe said fulcrum-points of the bed-frame, and manuallyoperable meansconnected with the head end of the bed frame for imparting an initialupward movement thereto, substantially as specified.

2S. In a folding bed, the combination of a stationary case, a movablecase adjustable toward and from the stationary case, a bedframe,connections between the bed-frame and the movable case, said bed-framebeing IOO IIO

gaat fulcrumed upon said connections for tilting movement to depress itsfoot end, swinging connections betweenthe stationary case and thebed-frame, and manually-operable means, connected with the head end ofthe bedframe, for imparting an initial upward movement to said head end,to tilt the bed-frame pon its said fulcrum, substantially as specied. Y

29. Ina folding bed, the combination of a stationary case, a movablecase adjustable toward and from the stationary case, a bedframe,connections between the bed-frame and the movable case, said bed-framebeing fulcrumed upon said connections for tilting movement to depressits foot end, swinging connections between the stationary case and thebed-frame, and means for elevating the head end of the bed-frame, 'thesame including levers connected with the head end of the bed-frame, andexposed means, connected with the levers, for imparting movement to thebed-frame to tilt it upon its said fulcrum, substantially as specified.

30. In a folding bed, the combination of va stationary case, a movablecase adjustable toward and from the stationary case, a bedframe,connections between the bed-frame and the movable case, .said bed-framebeing fulcrumed upon said connections for tilting movement todepress'its foot end, swinging connections between thevstationary caseand the bed-frame, and means for elevating the head end of thebed-frame, the same including levers connected with the head end of theframe, and a swinging member connected with said levers, substantiallyas specified.

31. In ya folding bed, the combination of a stationary case, a movablecase adjustable toward and from the stationary case, a bedframe,connections between the bed-frame and themovable case, said bed-framebeing Vfulcrumed upon said connections for tilting movement to depressits foot end, swinging connections between the stationary case and thebed-frame, and means for elevating the head end of the bed-frame, thesame including levers connected `with the head end of the frame, and aswinging member connected WM. WOLF, B. WOLF.

